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Colombia has secured its place in the round of 32 of the 2026 World Cup after defeating DR Congo 1-0 in the Group K clash.
Colombia vs DR Congo
On Tuesday, June 23, Daniel Munoz scored the goal in the 76th minute, finally getting past goalkeeper Lionel Mpasi, who earned praise for his phenomenal performance.
Colombia, who kicked off their World Cup run with a 3-1 win over Uzbekistan, showed off their skills against DR Congo with several strikes.
James Rodriguez, making his 10th World Cup appearance, forced Mpasi into action with a powerful strike in the 11th minute.
The goalkeeper stood firm, battling efforts from Jhon Arias and winger Luis Diaz, who came close to breaking the deadlock in the 18th minute, controlling a chipped pass inside the penalty area.
Group K standings
Colombia, Portugal, Uzbekistan and DR Congo are part of Group K.
Néstor Lorenzo's side has moved to six points from two matches, which has granted them their position in the knockout stage ahead of their final group game against Portugal, who beat Uzbekistan 5-0 earlier on Tuesday.
Meanwhile, DR Congo stands with one point in Group K and will need a result against Uzbekistan to keep their qualification hopes alive.
Who will reach the round of 32 from Group K?
Portugal and Colombia will meet on Saturday, June 27, for first place in Group K.
On the same day, DR Congo, who lost all three matches without scoring in their only previous World Cup appearance 52 years ago, will be in the novel position of being expected to win a finals match when they face Uzbekistan.
Should they succeed, they could yet climb to second and secure a likely meeting with either Croatia or Ghana.
Regardless, a win should see them through in third, at least, enough for a meeting with a group winner who would not relish their date with DR Congo.
What Colombia's win means for Portugal chances for knockouts?
With Colombia securing the first ticket for the round of 32 from Group K, the attention turns to Portugal, which impressed its fans with a 5-0 win over Uzbekistan.
Avoid defeat against Colombia
Portugal are in total control of their own chances for qualification. Portugal and Colombia will face each other on Saturday, and if Cristiano Ronaldo's side win or draw, they will finish with 7 or 5 points.
This would secure an immediate advancement, as all groups' winners and runner-ups will reach the knockouts.
If Portugal loses
Should Colombia win their last game against Portugal, then the chance for the European nation to advance to the next stage would totally depend on statistics.
If Portugal finishes with 4 points and DR Congo beats Uzbekistan, the two sides will be tied at 4 points.
However, the first tiebreaker in FIFA is overall goal difference. Portugal's 5-0 demolition of Uzbekistan has given them a huge +5 goal difference, while DR Congo is struggling at -1. DR Congo would have to overturn a six-goal swing on the final day to take over from Ronaldo's men.
Advance as the best third-place team
If Portugal lose to Colombia with a big margin and DR Congo score a significant victory over Uzbekistan to take second place, Portugal would finish in third place with 4 points and a heavy goal difference.
Besides the groups' top two finishers, the eight best third-placed teams would also qualify for the round of 32.
